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May 18, 2011

Lyman’s Laws for Lawyers (and everybody else, too!)

Tilleke & Gibbins

The 105 Lyman’s Laws for Lawyers (LLL) of Tilleke & Gibbins (and for everyone else, too) which follow, my substantially revised, expanded and updated 2006 edition, are nothing more than courses of good conduct clients expect of their lawyers and are what clients pay for. Some readers will conclude that you already know what is written here. So for you LLL can serve as a refresher course. Many readers, however, are probably slow learners like me and still have much to gain from LLL compiled in one place.

More often than not, these guiding principles have been learned by me the hard way, i.e. from my defeats as well as my victories, from my own mistakes, and sometimes from bitter and other times humorous but always enlightening experiences over my almost 59 years in the law and military services (U.S. Navy). My parents, both lawyers, taught me many truisms, while some ideas were gained from other professional colleagues I admired, some from opposing parties and their counsel, and, of course, some from clients and friends.

Lyman’s Laws for Lawyers do not address law firm management or business operations. They do not tell you how to make partner or where to work. Rather, these canons focus on and extol personal values, conduct, practices and attitudes.

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